Mozambique takes tough measures: Digital control targets timber smuggling, key changes in China-related supply chains are on the horizon.

Recently, a series of significant measures in the forestry and wildlife sector in Mozambique have drawn intense attention from the global timber industry. The country has officially announced the launch of a new digital timber export control system and simultaneously initiated criminal investigations into illegal timber clearance at ports. These actions directly target the long-standing problem of timber smuggling that has plagued the industry. As China is the core export destination for Mozambican timber,

U.S.A tariffs disrupt global forestry trade pattern

Currently, the global trade pattern is being reshaped at an accelerated pace due to escalating tariffs and geopolitical tensions.

Central and West Africa Timber Market Report: Gabon and Cameroon's Exports to China Rebound, Demand for Okoume Logs Revives

The latest market report from the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) has reviewed the timber market conditions in Gabon, Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo. The results show that geopolitical uncertainties, rising freight costs and persistently weak international demand are jointly constraining the timber markets in Central and West Africa. There are no clear signs of recovery in the European buyer market for the time being.

Gabon builds a full-chain traceability system for wood: A new national-level data center is established to track the entire process from tree stumps to ports

o address the regulatory challenges in the timber industry and promote its modernization, Gabon has recently announced a significant move - the launch of a national data center. This initiative aims to digitize the entire process of timber from forest harvesting to port export, filling the long-standing data gap that has plagued the authorities and providing a new practical model for global timber trade regulation.

Ghana Shipping Authority: Conflict leads to a sharp increase in shipping surcharges, and the shipping cost for wood exports soars.

In a recent notice to shippers, the Ghana Shippers' Authority (GSA) pointed out that the current conflict has seriously disrupted the passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a key international waterway. This strait is a must-pass for the main shipping routes of most international shipping companies and carries a considerable proportion of global maritime trade. The disruption of shipping and its chain impact on the global supply chain are prompting many international shipping companies to adjust their ship route layouts.

Gabon's new move to tackle the chaos in the timber industry: Every log will be tracked by GPS throughout its journey.

Maurice Ntossui Allogo, the Minister of Water and Forests of Gabon, recently announced at a government briefing that Gabon is embarking on the construction of a national wood traceability data center, aiming to digitally track every log from its GPS marking in the forest to the export stage.

CITES is planning to strictly control several popular African timbers, and Sapele, Obeche, etc. may face trade restrictions!

CITES is planning to include several popular African timbers on its control list, which has drawn high attention from the industry. As the major importer, the Chinese market may face rising costs and supply shortages.

Major ports in Europe and Southeast Asia are experiencing severe congestion. Will Chinese ports face an unprecedented crisis of empty containers?

Due to the continuous escalation of the situation in the Middle East, the congestion at key ports in Southeast Asia is likely to trigger an empty container crisis at Chinese ports in the future. However, the timber transportation route from Europe to Australia remains unobstructed at present, but the fuel cost has slightly increased.

The situation in the Middle East is "blazing" the Suez Canal! The export of forest products to Asia is blocked, and who will pay for the soaring costs?

The situation in the Middle East has led to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and disruptions in shipping through the Suez Canal, seriously affecting the export of forest products from Europe to Asia. Delays in delivery and rising costs are inevitable, especially for the trade of pulp, wood and other products.

The export of tropical logs from African countries to China has sharply declined! By 2025, it had dropped by 83.8%.

According to the Timber Industry Development Division (TIDD) of Ghana, the country's wood product exports totaled 1.66 million cubic meters, with a value of 763 million euros from 2020 to 2025. Among them, the export volume in 2025 hit a new low, reaching only 217,000 cubic meters, with a value of 98.38 million euros.